I have recently found myself cleaning my entire house top to bottom due to the fact that we are trying to sell said house right now. I have found nothing so universally helpful in this task as good old baking soda. Yes, I have traditionally used the store bought, insanely specific, chemical-filled, potions. (Honestly, there are like six different kinds of toilet bowl cleaner...not brands, kinds, depending on how you want to clean your toilet: Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Bleach, Deep Reach Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Cling Toiliet Bowl Cleaner...etc.)
I have now (mostly) gone back to the old days of cleaning. Now I use baking soda, vinegar, lemon oil, rubbing alcohol, and ok, a little bleach and ammonia (but not together, don't worry). I got this new cleaning system from a PBS special I watched a few years ago called "Haley's Hints", which was this guy, Graham Haley, demonstrating some of his hints on cleaning from his book. So, being a poor, newlywed college student who had no inclination to clean her house at all, naturally, I bought the book. I looked at it a lot and read bits of it here and there. But, I didn't own any of the products he suggested using. Well, now I need them.
Anyway, long story short, here are a few hints for you:
*I use baking soda to buff up my stainless steel sink. It looks beautiful afterward. I love it. Then, I put lemon oil on it and the lemon oil smells yummy and repels all that yucky hard water, so cleaning the sink isn't so hard next time.
*I use baking soda in my shower to get rid of the soap build up.
*I use vinegar on my glass shower doors, and then buff them with lemon oil so that the water doesn't stick so much.
*I mix a paste of bleach and baking soda and put it on my white tile grout, let it dry and then scrub it off with a stiff brush and it looks amazing!
I've even read that you can mix a little baking soda in with your favorite face wash in your hand and it will act as a gentle exfoliant. Also, mix a little baking soda in your hand with your shampoo and it will help get rid of build up from your hair products.
Do you have any more helpful household hints?
2 comments:
I soak stained whites in the sink with some vinegar before I wash them. It really helps get rid of sweat stains!
I loved reading all of the different uses for baking soda! I actually just came across a great brand of cleaning products at Albertsons of all places, called METHOD, and it's awesome! Not toxic and extremely effective! I love how low maintenance they are, how good they smell, and that they are safe with my kids around! I love your blogs! So fun to read all that you are up to!
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